


The Letter of the Law

by reeby10



Category: Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Getting Together, Government-Mandated Pregnancy, M/M, Pregnant Eli Vanto, interspecies pregnancy, mentions of canon-typical xenophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 18:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20019277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/pseuds/reeby10
Summary: The Empire demands that all officers get pregnant or impregnate their partner within a year to bolster the population. Eli follows orders, though perhaps not with who they'd intended.





	The Letter of the Law

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fairleigh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fairleigh/gifts).



Eli was more than a little concerned when the message first came in. The idea of the Empire mandating that all their officers all get pregnant or get their partner pregnant was odd to say the least. No matter how they tried to cover it up as a move to increase the Empire’s reach and population and to be a role model for citizens to do the same.

He wasn’t going to argue with it, obviously, but he heard the muttering around the ship that said the other officers were as concerned as he was. The only good thing was that they were far out from Coruscant at the moment, far enough and on an important enough mission that they had some leeway in complying with the order. They wouldn’t have to prove conception for a year, so there was plenty of time.

That did still mean it would have to be done, though. And Eli just wasn’t sure how he was going to do that. It wasn’t like he was close to anyone on the ship except for Thrawn — and to a much lesser extent Faro — and he certainly didn’t have anyone waiting for him elsewhere who he could go to to complete the order.

So his options were really to ask Thrawn or to take a roll of the dice in the officers’ lounge. He knew which he’d rather do, though he doubted it was what the Empire had in mind.

***

Six months later, Eli finally gotten up the nerve to take the first step. The time limit was fast approaching, so he knew it was now or never.

Thrawn was thankfully in his office when Eli went to find him. He was studying a set of art holos, some of which Eli recognized from planets they’d visited previously. It looked like Thrawn was likely studying them more for pleasure than work at the moment, which was good.

“Thrawn, can we talk?” Eli asked as he stepped inside, letting the door slide shut behind him.

“Of course,” Thrawn replied. He shut down the display of art and turned to face Eli as he sat down on the other side of the desk. He studied Eli for a moment. “Is there something that has distressed you?”

Eli gave a crooked smile. He should have known that Thrawn would see through him in an instant. It was what he did.

“Do you remember the mandate that came in from the Empire six months ago?” he asked instead of answering Thrawn’s question.

Thrawn nodded, but didn’t offer up anything else. Eli should have expected that as well. Thrawn probably knew exactly what Eli had come here for; he was just waiting for Eli to actually get up the guts to say it aloud.

Eli took a deep breath. “I am aware that you are not romantically or sexually linked with anyone, at least here,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. “As such, I would like to ask you to consider participating in the Empire pregnancy mandate with me.”

Thrawn looked at him, unblinking, for a long moment. Long enough that Eli began to wonder if he’d taken the wrong approach in clothing his request in such formal language. It was the suggested approach in the mandate, but that could be exactly why he should have gone in the other direction. Personalized it some, since they were on a more familiar level after so many years at one another's side.

Finally, the corner of Thrawn’s mouth lifted just a little, and Eli felt a wash of relief. Thrawn stood and walked around the desk before laying one hand gently on Eli’s cheek. Eli’s breath caught in his throat at the intimacy of the gesture.

“It would be my honor, Eli.”

***

The returned to Coruscant four months later. Thrawn held a protective hand against the small of Eli’s back as they approached to give the Emperor their report in person, as he always requested. Eli smiled inwardly at the brief flash of surprise that passed the Emperor’s face as he saw first the growing bump of Eli’s belly and then the position of Thrawn’s hand.

For all that the Empire’s missive on pregnancy hadn’t explicitly stated as such, Eli knew that it had been meant to bolster human numbers. Many of those in the capital and in high positions in the government were still very xenophobic. They wouldn’t want to increase alien or mixed race numbers, but they probably hadn’t thought they’d need to specify as it was practically inapplicable. Except for Thrawn.

It gave Eli a special little thrill to be going against the mandate in some way, even on a technicality. He wasn’t sure whether Thrawn was aware of either the connotation of their orders or Eli’s feelings toward them. Not that it mattered, since it was already done.

Besides, what was more important was that Eli knew their baby would be beautiful and brilliant and _wanted_. And that, in his opinion, was worth the disbelieving looks and disgusted sneers he knew they were likely to get from others. It wasn’t like he didn’t expect them even after all this time.


End file.
